Summary: Lachlan gets a new apartment. While he's moving in, Eliana brings him a four-legged present named Bonnie, and he laughs when Eliana relates the attempted drug charges against her. Eliana doesn't like that; Lachlan ironically chastises her for her temper.

Date It Happened: March 19, 2007

My Bonnie

Or: The New Dog Log

Lachlan's Apartment, Brooklyn

Having just got the apartment today, Lachlan is in the process of moving in. It's not a bad sort of apartment thanks to the increase in his income, but he's not stupid enough to have rented a penthouse or anything of the like. Besides, it's /Brooklyn/: nobody terribly rich lives here, right? The building is separate from Cass' apartment complex for a reason, as well. Currently, the Scotsman is in the process of shoving his chair around the living room. There are boxes upon boxes of things scattered everywhere, with some cardboard boxes having been opened and their contents pulled out and scattered here and there. Chief among these things are two large dog crates and various assorted bedding, toys, and so forth. Overall, however, the place looks about as clean as it ever will be, now that Lachlan has moved in.

Having gotten a phone call earlier, the man is expecting someone with whom he was previously upset, however ecent events have led him to be more neutral in regards to Eliana. It's the only reason he agreed to tell her about his new digs when she called and he even managed not to sound terribly irate about it, though his responses were short and bland.

It's quite possible that Eliana is heard before she's seen. She makes all sorts of noises as she tries to wrestle a dog on lead who is quite thankful to be outside her relatively small enclosurs and in the Real World. OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY. At first glance, it's a yellow lab-type dog with a darker muzzle, but the whisps of wiry hair between it's cheeks and jowls mark it as an Irish Wolfhound pup. Eliana struck it lucky at the pound, and while the young dog more than likely has some other breeds mixed in, that celtic hunter is hard to dismiss as a major factor. She is dressed in what has become her usual t-shirt, NYU hoodie, jeans, and sneakers combination, and her hair looks slightly ruffled.
Lachlan's voice on the other end of that phone call wasn't angry. That's all that mattered to Eliana, who more than likely sounded quite distant herself.

Eliana /is/ heard before she's seen, but not in the normal sense of the word. Lachlan picks up on the dog's thoughts and excitement long before he hears her in the hallway outside the apartment, and he pauses in his furniture moving to perk a bit. This is a pet-friendly apartment complex and so he's heard and felt many dogs in the area today. It makes him both delighted and a bit lonely — after all, he gets to feed off of the other dogs in the complex, but it makes him yearn for his own. Ah, irony. As it stands, he has no way of knowing that it's Eliana out there in the hall, and so he soon goes back to pushing the chair. It's finally established right where he wants it, so he goes to pick up the end table that was left near the door by the movers.

KNOCK KNOCK. Eliana's announcement of her arrival comes not from her knuckles, or even the side of her fist. Both of her hands are occupied with trying to restrain the over-excited pup on the end of the leash. Puppies are deceptively strong. The sound comes instead from her shoulder. WHUMP.

The last time somebody slammed into his door, it resulted in a dead dog. Lachlan peers at the door curiously, frowning, before he sets down the table right where it was before he takes a few steps to the door and peers through the peephole. Spotting Eliana and her charge, he quickly draws the chain and deadbolt and pulls open the door to stare at the woman, then at the dog. His expression is one of mixed confusion and jealousy. "Dinna know ye had a dog," he grunts, simultaneously sending calming signals to the pup. How is it that Eliana gets a dog and his get shot? It's so not fair.

"It's not," but Eliana pauses to grunt as the pup pulls once again before it takes notice of Lachlan and starts to calm down. HEY. A person. HI PERSON. Nothing beats a panting puppy grin. "It's not mine. It's yours." Eliana felt bad about Lachlan losing his too dogs, as pet-owners sort of understand these things. "I have a cat." Not a dog. "The shelter said her name was Bonnie, but I guess you could change it."

Blink? Stare. Blink. Blink. Lachlan is rendered utterly speechless for several long seconds as he looks between Eliana and Bonnie and back again. He's really just not quite sure what to say or do, but after a pregnant pause, he withdraws a few steps and pulls the door open wider to allow woman and dog to enter. "'S no' a bad name fer a dog," he utters before clicking his tongue. "C'mere, Bonnie." As always, he also sends inviting signals to the dog's brain and holds out a hand for the pup.

Perhaps starved for attention, Bonnie rushes at Lachlan with her jaws gaping, looking to attack his hand with her tongue. Nobody is mean! Everyone nice and must have food or affection to dole out, yes yes! Eliana urfs when the leash is pulled from her hands, but at least the dog ran inside. "It's Irish," she points out as she rubs them, closing the door behind her with her foot.

Bonnie is more than welcome to attack and be affectionate, because Lachlan has been starved for canine companionship for weeks. He grins broadly and drops onto his knees to ruffle the pup's ears and face playfully, keeping his chin tilted up to avoid the danger of dog-tongue-in-mouth. That would be most unfortunate. "'S pro'bly b'cause she's got Irish wolfhound in 'er," he responds to Eliana absently. "Aw, yer a sweet thing. C'mon, I've got a bit o' food in the kitchen." Obviously, this is addressed to the pup. Lachlan rises to his feet and doesn't bother to pick up the leash, instead patting his thigh and clicking his tongue to entice Bonnie to follow. "So why're ye bringin' me a dog?" he inquires over his shoulder.

It's pretty obvious that the invitation is meant for Bonnie, who follows happily after Lachlan, barking a bit even. SAUSAGES?! Eliana leans back against the door and folds her arms over her chest. "I heard you lost your others. And…well, I know that pets give us something people can't. If it's too soon, I can…" Gulp. "I can keep her for awhile." And pray Maimondies doesn't resent it forever.

It really hasn't been long since he lost Barguest and Padfoot, but Lachlan's been extremely lonely without dogs in his apartment, and as attached as he was to the Dobermans … he's been /really lonely/. After passing into the open doorway leading to the kitchen, the clickclickclick of claws on the linoleum and then the sound of dry food being poured into a metal bowl can be heard. Lachlan reappears soon after alone, having set the bowl down for Bonnie to eat. Eliana is examined with a smirk. "Nah, s'fine. Already told the landlord I'd be gettin' a pair o' dogs sometime anyway. Yer just no' the person I figured'd be bringin' me a dog s'all."

Eliana shrugs. "I won't lie to you. I thought it'd make me feel better." She looks around the apartment while Bonnie eagerly eats. OMNOM. Not sausages. BUT GOOD. "So…um… I'll bring her papers over later." Someone is uncomfortable.

And Lachlan can tell. Somewhat. It's obviously Eliana is not exactly /at ease/, at least. "An' did it?" he asks, moving over toward the door at an easy pace. He seems amused that Eliana would bring him a dog, but it's not a nice sort of amusement. Not really. Not that he's not grateful.

Eliana rubs her arms a bit and hums to herself. "A little. Got me out of the apartment. So…I should thank you for that." She rolls her head on her neck a bit, looking around the Scotsman's new place. "Why'd you move?"

With a soft grunt, Lachlan draws up beside Eliana and leans back against the door next to her, assuming a similar pose as she: arms crossed, facing forward. "Got kicked outta m'old place when tha' fucker busted down m'door an' shot Barg inna face," he responds. The drug charges are not mentioned, of course; those were totally not the reason he got booted. Totally.

Of course, Eliana's thoughts go to something else. She suddenly tenses, and a small amount of the gas starts to seep rather quickly from her pores. "Let's just hope it doesn't happen again, hm?" she says with a forced calm.

"Yeah." The one-word response is said offhandedly, dismissively. Lachlan's drug activities will continue — it's how he can afford his apartment, after all — and no amount of prodding from Eliana is going to change it. Well … unless she prodded Cass. But Eliana would never do that, right? A subject change is in order: "So. Ye got out, huh?"

Eliana nods, and after a deep breath, she seems a bit calmer. "They were trying to pin drug charges on me. Said I was selling shit at DnA's. I've never even /taken/ anything that wasn't prescribed to me."

Drug charges? On Eliana? Lachlan can't help it: he starts /laughing/. Hard. He even doubles over a bit at the peak of such mirth. "Aw, fuck!" he cackles once he's got himself more under control. "Fuck, ye … yer a bloody /walkin'/ drug. Hahaha! Jesus Christ, tha's like chargin' smack fer bein' sold." Ohhhh, yes. Lachlan thinks this is just hysterical.

In sharp contrast, Eliana is very Not Amused. She scowls, then turns to open the door with the intent to be far away by the time her blood boils to the point where Lachlan could feel any effects of that drug, or to be calm before it reaches that point. "Your welcome for the dog," she mutters.

But as he's leaning up against the door, Lachlan isn't terribly inclined to let Eliana go rushing off in a huff. When she goes for the doorknob, he presses his weight even harder against the wood, grinning over at her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Jesus, darlin'. Dunna need ta go runnin' off in a tizzy. Was just playin' with ye."

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. But Lachlan has got Eliana pretty riled already, and though she staves off an onslaught, enough gas comes through to form a thick bubble in her personal space. "There's only /one/ celt I let call me 'darlin', Lachlan. Get off the door."

"'M no' gettin' off the door 'til ye stop lookin' like yer gonna kick a bloody kitten the moment ye get outside," Lachlan retorts, keeping his face and head as far back from Eliana as he can manage. He even holds his breath after he's finished speaking, fully expecting some sort of druggy retaliation.

Blasphemy! Eliana would never kick a kitten. The slightly raised voices draw Bonnie's attention, and the pup stands in the doorway leading to the kitchen with her head cocked to one side. Haroo? Eliana narrows her eyes, and without warning, draws back a foot to kick Lachlan in the shin.

The expected retaliation isn't /entirely/ what Lachlan was thinking it would be, but he's still ready for it. He jerks his leg up and out of the way of the offending foot, still managing to keep his weight against the door in the meanwhile. And now he's /really/ amused. "Fuck, d'ye allus act like this when someone asks ye ta calm down? Poor bastard Jack, s'no wonder he's a righ' bloody mess." Only after he's said this does the Scotsman steps away from the door, allowing Eliana to get by. "Ye should mebbe think 'bout how ta rein tha' temper o' yers in." Pot, meet kettle.

Eliana fixes Lachlan with a cold stare before she rips the door open, leaving a trail of gas and a barking dog behind her. Yes, she has a temper, but there are only a few people who know how to stoke it. Lachlan just happens to be one of them.